Steering means for vehicles



W. B. OMEL.

'STEERING MEANS FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OFF-16,1919.

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- APPLICATION FILED OCT- IB, I919. 1,359,912.

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wiLLIAM BYRON ORIEL, or G n-Ann nnrins, MICHIGAN.

, srrnnniivs' MEAns ricia vE 'IoLns.

Specifi cation of Letters Pateiit.

Patented Nov, 23, 920.

Application filed. October 1c, 1919; sci-m1 No. 331359.

To all whom it may cm'wer-n:

Be it known that I, VVILLIA'M BYR 0 N OnrEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand'Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new for turning the axles parallelly so that the vehicle may approach a landing platform parallelly thereto; a further object is to provide means for steering the vehicle in a curve having a very short radius or-i'or turning the axles parallelly as may be desired; and further and more particularly, an object is to provide simple and readily operable mechanism for effecting said objects.

These and any other objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, "and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the structure hereinafter particularly de'scribet and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Figure 1 is a showing in dotted lines the vehicle wheels and the axles on which they are mounted turned to steer the vehicle on a curve having very short radius; i

Fig. 2 is a like view of the same showing the axles turned parailelly Fig. is atop plan view of certain parts of my steering means; v

Fig. e: is a side view of said parts some of which are shown in central or axial section taken on a plane correspending; to line 1-4: of Fig. '3 this figure illustrates the said parts in that position in which the vehicle is steered on a curve having a very short radius; i

Fig. 5 is a like view, but illustrating the said parts in that position in which the axles are turned parallelly;

Fig. 6 is a view of certain parts, some of which are shown in horizontal section taken top plan view. of a vehicle,

on a plane corresponding to line 7-7 of Fig. 4; and

Fi 8 is a view of certain parts in hori- Zontal section taken on a plane c'orrsl'aondin'g toline 88 ofFig; 5.

In'the embodimentofthe invention chosen for illustration by the drawings and'i'or' detailed description in'the'bodyof this 'speci-' fication, my steering means shown applied to a velncle'tne-motor truck l having a frame comprising forward andrea'rward members 2 and '3'. The two (front and rear) axles L and 5fof the vehicle are steerably-turnable"relatively to'the frame 1, being journaled atJG' and 7 on circular plat forms 8 and9 respectively, whichplatforms are turnable in bearings '10 andll on the frame. wheels 12,- 12 and 13, 13 respectively may be driven to propel the vehicleby suitable means as the motors indicated at 14 and 15 carried by said platforms.

My steering'means whereby the axles are .steerably turned comprises the following jo urnaled the rotatableelements 18 and 1 9,

suitable motion-transmitting connections, as

on a plane corresponding to line 66 of which is shown in horizontal section taken parts On a spindle 16, suitably supported as bythe member 17 on the frame 1, are

the flexible connections or cable 20 extendingbetween one element 18 and the front axle 4E and like connections 21 extending between the other element 19 andtherear axle 5. These connections may be of any suitable type or form, as the cords or cables wound on drum portions 22 of theelements 18 and 19 as shown, and pas'stherefrom -to suitable points of connection 23, '24 with the axles or the fturn'able platforms 8 90h which said aXl'esare journaled respectively. A clutch or coupling means is provided whereby these elements 18 and lemay be coupled to turn together inthesame direction (they forining'whenso c oupled'essene tiall'y a single turnable element), m ay be uncoupled to perm'ittliem to turn, in tppo- These axles, carrying j the vehicle.

site directions. Such "coupling means in the p construction shown com rises squared head 25 carried by a hub portion of the.

element 19 and adapted when the partsare in the position shown in Fig. 5 to couplingly engage in a correspondingly shaped socket 2-6 in the element 18; or to; be disengaged therefrom when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4. To efi'ect this coupling and uncoupling, the element 19 has an axial movement on the spindle 16, being spring 30. These elements 18 and 19 have bevel gears 82, 33 on their adjacent sides with both of which gears the rotatable gear member 34 meshes when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4, in which position 7 the rotation of this member 34 turns said elements in opposite directions whereby the axles are inclined relatively to each other, in the position seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus steering the vehicle on a curve with a very short radius: but when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, the gear member 34 meshes with the gear 32 of the element 18 only, and turns it and the element 19 (now coupled therewith) in the same direction. whereby the axles are turned parallelly in the position shown in Fig. 2, thus steering the vehicle so that it may ap proach a loading platform and the like parallelly. The gear member 34 may be rotated by a suitable steering wheel (not shown) on a steering shaft 40 connected to the shaft 41 of the gear member 34 by a universal joint 42. This shaft 41 'may extend inwardly and may be journaled at 43 in an annular member 44 surrounding a hub portion 45 of the element 18 and seated in an annular groove 46 therein; and a suitable pin 47 carried by the sr oorting member 17 may be employed to engage the opposite side of the annular member 44 to securely hold said member in position. The two members 2 and 3 of the frame 1 may be detachably connected by means of a socket 50 in member 8 in which the rear end of member 2 may be seated and held by set screws 51. Y

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated or hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle; front and rear steerablytnrnable axles carrying vehicle wheels at their opposite ends; a turnable element; connections between said element and one axle to turn said axle by the turning of said element; a second turnable element; connec-v tions between said second element and the second axle to turn the second axle by the turning of said second element; coupling and uncoupling means intermediate said ,elcments; a rotatable member adapted to turnably engage at its onnosite sides both said elements to turn the same in their uncoupled position in opposite directions and to engage only one of said elements to turn both said elements in their coupled position in the same direction. I

2. In a vehicle; front and rear steerablyturnable axles; a turnable element having a gear; connections between said element and one axis to turn said axle by the turning of.

of said elements to turn both said elements.

in their coupled position in the same direction.

3'. In a vehicle; front and rear steel-ablyturnable axles; co-axial turnable elements having gears; connections between one of said elements and one axle to turn said axle by the turning of said element; a second turnable element having a gear; connections between said second element and the in their uncoupled position in opposite directions and engaging only one of said elements to turn bothsaid elements in their coupled position in the same direction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Grand Rapids, -Michigan this 14th day of October, 1919.-

WILLIAM BYRON ORIEL. 

